Meet Dr. Deb Saliba

Dr. Saliba recently led the national revision of the Minimum Data Set for Nursing Homes (MDS 3.0) for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and VA HSR&D.  In this large multi-state project, she led a national consortium of researchers and used both qualitative and quantitative methods to improve item reliability, validity and efficiency for this national program. She was also a co-investigator on RAND’s work to develop the IRF-PAI and has served as a consultant to RTI on the development and testing of the CARE instrument. Dr. Saliba’s current research includes development of a Home and Community Based Services Universal Assessment for California (funded by the SCAN Foundation), a randomized trial to decrease transfers from nursing homes to hospitals (funded by VA HSR&D) and an evaluation of the transition of California’s Seniors and Persons with Disabilities (SPDs) to managed care  (funded by the California Healthcare Foundation).

Dr. Saliba’s research in quality of care and vulnerable populations has received awards from the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, VA Health Services Research & Development, and the American Geriatrics Society.  A recognized leader in geriatrics research and quality, Dr. Saliba has served as an expert on multiple national advisory and NQF panels addressing quality of care for older adults across care settings. Dr. Saliba serves on the Board of Directors of the California Association of Long Term Care Medicine and the Board of Directors for the American Geriatrics Society.   

Interview with Dr. Saliba:

CALTCM: Brief background of your training and practice setting and years in practice.
Dr. Saliba: I graduated from the University of Alabama with a BA in Economics.  My MD is from the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine where I also completed a residency in Internal Medicine.  I remained on UAB’s clinical faculty with a primary care outpatient/inpatient practice for several years before moving to UCLA/VA to complete fellowships in health services research and geriatrics.  After fellowship I continued on the UCLA/VA medical faculty.

 

CALTCM: What are you passionate about in long term care?  How are you pursuing your passion?  
Dr. Saliba: My work has focused on creating tools and knowledge that can be applied to improving quality of care and quality of life for vulnerable older adults across the long-term care continuum. My research has addressed transfers from nursing homes to hospitals, disaster response and resident safety, pressure ulcer care, quality measurement, fall prevention,  the association between institutional structure and quality and the development of instruments to predict functional limitation and death.    One focus of my work has been direct inclusion of older adults in assessments of their health and needs.  

 

CALTCM: What advice would you give to a new graduate contemplating a career in long term care?
Dr. Saliba: Meeting the needs of these most vulnerable members of society will be personally, emotionally and intellectually rewarding.   We need excellent, dedicated persons to work with us.

 

CALTCM: What additional training do you wish you had that may help with your current practice?    
Dr. Saliba: My clinical training has helped develop a drive for excellence through life-long learning.

 

CALTCM: How has CALTCM impacted your practice?
Dr. Saliba: CALTCM allows me to interact with others who share my passion for improving care for persons with long-term care needs.